Page 80 of The Thornwyck Rose

“Yes, Lord Henry.” Erik waited for the immediate dismissal.

“The caravan is ready. Go.”

Erik bowed stiffly at the waist and left the council chamber. He donned his armor and met the caravan in the bailey.

Seren and her children were in the wagon with Margot, Isolde, and the wet nurse. The flaps were up, given the hot day. The knights looked to him. They were all going to be a part of the mock attack—each grab a wagon rider and head back to Castel Thornwyck, except him.

Seren smiled at all of them.

Henry was delusional.

Seren felt nothing for him except friendship, maybe gratitude. It was he who had let her settle in his heart. She would pass this test. He hoped whoever was tasked with reporting back would do so truthfully, and that it would be enough to save her.

“Thank you for your service in transporting us to Warwick,” she addressed the men-at-arms.

Her gaze landed on Erik. “I know it takes resources from the northern borders, and I am grateful for this journey to meet a potential betrothed for Lord David.”

Erik dipped his chin. “We are honored, Lady de Thornwyck.”

She returned to her seat, and Erik led them out of the bailey over the drawbridge.

As the morning turned to noon, Henry’s men, clad in green surcoats, attacked. No one was to die. They overpowered the caravan, then Erik yelled, “Get them back to Thornwyck keep!”

Each man grabbed their target out of the wagon, and Erik punched a man and stabbed the ground near his head. The knight stayed down, pretending death had taken him.

He saw one by one be swept away, Lord David, Lady Aveline, and Vala, the wet nurse with Lady Elen and Cari, and another two grabbed Margot and Isolde. Erik grabbed Seren. They galloped back to Thornwyck, but again were attacked.

In the chaos, Erik galloped away with Seren toward Briarwood as the others split, leaving Seren screaming for her children.

“Protect them!” She banged on Erik’s shoulder. “Protect them!”

That’s when he realized she was ordering him back to protect her children. But he hunkered down on the horse, forcing her against his chest, and sped to the alcove at Briarwood. He assumed the scout would already be there, but maybe he could get there early and tell her, warn her. He hoped she rejected his advance, for her sake, for maybe his.

How could he stop at just a chaste kiss if she kissed him back?

If she showed any love for him, his heart would tear in two. He’d have to stop, let her die alone, not kill his son with her. He had to warn her, but she was screaming at him. She wasn’t listening.

He pulled up on the reins and dismounted,lifting his arms to her, but she jumped down without his aid. Tears streaked her red, flushed cheeks.

“You!” She slapped his armor. He took her by the wrist and pulled her into the alcove.

“We must hide here, milady,” he said.

The time for warning was over.

The tree’s leaves wept overhead, and he hoped it wasn’t an omen. He walked around it, swinging the wooden handle of one of his twin battle axes into the rose bushes to get the scout to budge, to see if he could tell where they were.

Seren was yelling at him, but he couldn’t concentrate on what she said. His heartbeat in his ears was too loud to hear, to think. He glanced up, just tree limbs. He quickly scanned and saw nothing, but he didn’t trust his eyes. Though he still had one wrist in hand, Seren banged a fist on his chest, bruising her soft flesh from the chain mail. The next bang, he grabbed her wrist, pinning both wrists in one hand. The axe in his other hand shook. He didn’t want to test her. He didn’t want this moment, and yet, it was upon him.

Seren wept as she struggled against his grip. He swallowed the lump in his throat as her screams came full force.

“You should have saved my children! Why didn’t you save them?”

She was erratic. He’d never seen her so upset. She needed to be in her right frame of mind. He pulled her wrists closer to his neck, sliding her face closer to his.

“They are with trusted men, Lady Seren,” he said and winced. He should have addressed her with her complete title. He hoped whoever was there to report would not report that error.

“No, no!” she cried. “The attack was targeted. It was to kill Lord David! And there was only one man with him?—”